Curt Gudheim Spear, Sr., devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and dear friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 30, 2026. A native of Portsmouth, Va., and son of Philip Hichborn Spear and Carrie Siegrid Gunhild Gudheim Spear, he was known and respected by friends and colleagues as a true southern gentleman.
A graduate of Cradock High School and Virginia Tech, Curt spent 38 years as a laboratory chemist at Newport News Shipbuilding, where he made numerous lifelong friends and contributed to countless projects from the early 1960s to the late 1990s. He lived in Hampton for nearly 30 years and served the community in many ways. He mentored youth as a Little League baseball coach and a Cub Scout Pack Leader. He served two terms on the Hampton Planning Commission, where he was known for his thoughtful, deliberate, and unbiased consideration of every matter that came before him. He served as president of the Parent Teacher Association at Machen Elementary School, and later volunteered for the Forensics team at Hampton High School and was a frequent judge at forensics events around the state. Later in life, he lived in Newport News and was an active participant in the Lifelong Learning Society at Christopher Newport University, and went on to chair the program for several years.
An avid sports fan, he could frequently be found at Hampton High football games or football or basketball games at the University of Virginia. He loved travel and photography as well, and visited many different parts of North America and Europe, often with friends from the Lifelong Learning Society. He always got a thrill from experiencing new places and new cultures.
Curt was a loving and devoted husband to Mary Alice Spear, who preceded him in death in 1991, and then to Barbara Thompson “Bobbie” Spear, who passed away in 2023. He is survived by a daughter, Susie Hubbard (Steve); a son, Curt Spear, Jr.; stepsons Richard West (Louis), Doug Blount (Elaine), and Bill Blount (Christy); eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A private celebration of life will be held in Yorktown in March. If you wish to honor his memory, the family asks you to consider donating to the Lifelong Learning Society at Christopher Newport University.